Do you want to take your four-legged friend with you to Switzerland when you move? Pets are very popular with the Swiss, and many people have a cat or a dog - the nation’s two favourite animals - that share their owners' lives.
The number of cats in Switzerland1.
The number of dogs in Switzerland1.
Swiss households allocate on average 0.3% of their monthly budget, or CHF 31, to their pets1. That means between CHF 1,000 per year for a cat and CHF 2,000 per year for a dog!
Importing your pet
Would you like your pet to be part of your new adventure in Switzerland?
If your pet meets the following requirements, he or she may enter the country duty-free:
- has a microchip or tattoo as a means of identification
- has a rabies vaccine certificate
- has a European pet passport, or that of another country recognised by the European Union
Pets imported by you duty free may not be sold once they have arrived in Switzerland.
If you arrive in Switzerland from a third country outside the European Union, you should report your pet to the customs official on duty where his or her import documents and conditions are checked. In addition, if the animal’s home country presents a risk of rabies, your pet will be subjected to more stringent checks (blood tests, import permit, etc.).
Keeping pets
Some animals cannot be kept alone, according to the Swiss Animal Protection Act, for example: gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, canaries, budgerigars, parrots and many fish including goldfish.
Please see the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs Office website for more information on keeping pets in Switzerland.
When you rent
If you rent your home in Switzerland, your landlord may not allow you to have a pet.
You must ask your landlord's permission to install a cat flap in your rental property, which usually requires the door or window to be repaired when you leave. It is therefore advisable to keep the fixture that was installed before the cat flap was installed.
